JOB REPORT / 15-1253 · 30 TASKS

Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers.

Can AI do the work of Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers?

Mostly it works alongside you. Here is what shifts, task by task.

YOUR EXPERIENCE MATTERS

How does this fit your work?

How many tasks do you use AI to assist with at work?

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Starting pointOur estimate

The mark shows what’s typical for this job.

The parts of your job AI can already do most of:

Develop testing programs that address areas
Document test procedures to ensure replicability and compliance…
Design test plans, scenarios, scripts, or procedures

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A guided certificate program in AI-assisted Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers work. It covers the 29 AI-affected parts of your job and ends in a capstone a person reviews.

WHAT WE LOOKED AT

Your job, task by task.

29 of 30 tasks reviewed

This job has 30 core tasks. We went through 29 of them, one at a time.

Task by task, from the work Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers actually do. How we describe AI use in each task is our own read of it, not a measurement of whether AI can replace the job.

TASK 01
Develop testing programs that address areas such as database impacts, software scenarios, regression testing, negative testing, error or bug retests, or usability.
AI DOES
Drafts test plans, generates test case ideas, writes regression and negative test scenarios from requirements
YOU DO
Judge which risks matter most and tailor the plan to real user behavior and business goals
TASK 02
Document test procedures to ensure replicability and compliance with standards.
AI DOES
Drafts structured test procedure documents, suggests standard formats, and fills in boilerplate compliance language
YOU DO
Verify every step reflects real system behavior and meets your team's specific compliance rules
TASK 03
Design test plans, scenarios, scripts, or procedures.
AI DOES
Drafts test plans, generates test scenarios, and suggests edge cases from requirements or code
YOU DO
Decide which risks matter most and tailor tests to how real users actually behave
TASK 04
Conduct historical analyses of test results.
AI DOES
Scans large test result datasets, spots failure patterns, and generates trend summaries
YOU DO
Judge which patterns actually matter and decide what action the team should take
TASK 05
Identify, analyze, and document problems with program function, output, online screen, or content.
AI DOES
Scans code and logs for errors, generates bug report drafts, and flags known issue patterns
YOU DO
Decide which bugs truly hurt users and set fix priorities
TASK 06
Install, maintain, or use software testing programs.
AI DOES
Generates test scripts, suggests tool configurations, and flags common setup issues
YOU DO
Decide what matters most to test and judge whether results mean real problems
TASK 07
Develop or specify standards, methods, or procedures to determine product quality or release readiness.
AI DOES
Drafts quality criteria, test templates, and release checklists based on best practices
YOU DO
Decide what standards actually fit your product, team risk tolerance, and real user needs
TASK 08
Conduct software compatibility tests with programs, hardware, operating systems, or network environments.
AI DOES
Generates test cases, runs automated compatibility checks, and summarizes failure patterns
YOU DO
Decide which environment combos are most important and interpret unexpected failures
TASK 09
Identify program deviance from standards, and suggest modifications to ensure compliance.
AI DOES
Scans code, logs, and docs to spot rule violations and draft fix suggestions
YOU DO
Judge which deviations actually matter and pick the right fix for the situation
TASK 10
Install and configure recreations of software production environments to allow testing of software performance.
AI DOES
Generates setup scripts, config files, and troubleshooting steps for environment builds
YOU DO
Verify the environment truly mirrors production and catch edge-case setup failures
TASK 11
Plan test schedules or strategies in accordance with project scope or delivery dates.
AI DOES
Drafts test plan templates, suggests coverage strategies, and flags schedule risks based on scope inputs
YOU DO
Judge team bandwidth, negotiate tradeoffs, and own final delivery commitments
TASK 12
Monitor program performance to ensure efficient and problem-free operations.
AI DOES
Scans logs, spots anomalies, and sends performance alerts in real time
YOU DO
Decide which alerts are real problems and choose the right fix
TASK 13
Investigate customer problems referred by technical support.
AI DOES
Scans error logs, matches known bug patterns, and drafts a summary of likely issues
YOU DO
Verify the real root cause and decide next steps with the customer in mind
TASK 14
Participate in product design reviews to provide input on functional requirements, product designs, schedules, or potential problems.
AI DOES
Summarizes requirement docs, spots gaps or conflicts in specs, and suggests common risk areas to raise
YOU DO
Show up, read the room, and push back when something feels off
TASK 15
Coordinate user or third-party testing.
AI DOES
Drafts test plans, writes communication templates, and summarizes feedback from testers
YOU DO
Build relationships with users and make judgment calls when testing goes sideways
TASK 16
Collaborate with field staff or customers to evaluate or diagnose problems and recommend possible solutions.
AI DOES
Summarizes reported problems, searches known bug databases, and drafts solution options
YOU DO
Listen carefully to customers, ask follow-up questions, and judge which fix fits their real situation
TASK 17
Recommend purchase of equipment to control dust, temperature, or humidity in area of system installation.
AI DOES
Researches equipment options, compares specs, and drafts purchase recommendation reports
YOU DO
Visit the site, assess real conditions, and take responsibility for the final call
TASK 18SOURCE-BACKED TASK
Modify existing software to correct errors, allow it to adapt to new hardware, or to improve its performance.
AI DOES
Generates code fixes and performance optimizations
YOU DO
Decide which changes to trust and deploy
About this analysis
61% · Methodology: exposure-v1 · Analysis date: unavailable · Confidence: medium
TASK 19SOURCE-BACKED TASK
Test system modifications to prepare for implementation.
AI DOES
Runs automated tests and flags potential issues
YOU DO
Decide which risks matter most
About this analysis
59% · Methodology: exposure-v1 · Analysis date: unavailable · Confidence: medium
TASK 20SOURCE-BACKED TASK
Perform initial debugging procedures by reviewing configuration files, logs, or code pieces to determine breakdown source.
AI DOES
Scans logs and configs to flag likely error sources
YOU DO
Decide which leads matter most
About this analysis
56% · Methodology: exposure-v1 · Analysis date: unavailable · Confidence: medium
TASK 21SOURCE-BACKED TASK
Design or develop automated testing tools.
AI DOES
Generates test scripts and basic automation frameworks
YOU DO
Design the testing strategy and architecture
About this analysis
54% · Methodology: exposure-v1 · Analysis date: unavailable · Confidence: medium
TASK 22SOURCE-BACKED TASK
Document software defects, using a bug tracking system, and report defects to software developers.
AI DOES
Generates bug reports from crash logs and screenshots
YOU DO
Decide priority and assign to right developer
About this analysis
45% · Methodology: exposure-v1 · Analysis date: unavailable · Confidence: medium
TASK 23SOURCE-BACKED TASK
Monitor bug resolution efforts and track successes.
AI DOES
Tracks bug status and generates progress reports
YOU DO
Judge priority shifts and team blockers
About this analysis
42% · Methodology: exposure-v1 · Analysis date: unavailable · Confidence: medium
TASK 24SOURCE-BACKED TASK
Store, retrieve, and manipulate data for analysis of system capabilities and requirements.
AI DOES
Queries databases and formats data automatically
YOU DO
Design the right questions to ask
About this analysis
36% · Methodology: exposure-v1 · Analysis date: unavailable · Confidence: medium
TASK 25SOURCE-BACKED TASK
Review software documentation to ensure technical accuracy, compliance, or completeness, or to mitigate risks.
AI DOES
Scans docs for gaps and flags potential issues
YOU DO
Judge what risks matter most
About this analysis
36% · Methodology: exposure-v1 · Analysis date: unavailable · Confidence: medium
TASK 26SOURCE-BACKED TASK
Create or maintain databases of known test defects.
AI DOES
Logs defects and suggests duplicate matches
YOU DO
Decide priority and root cause
About this analysis
32% · Methodology: exposure-v1 · Analysis date: unavailable · Confidence: medium
TASK 27SOURCE-BACKED TASK
Update automated test scripts to ensure currency.
AI DOES
Suggests script updates based on code changes
YOU DO
Decide which tests truly matter
About this analysis
32% · Methodology: exposure-v1 · Analysis date: unavailable · Confidence: medium
TASK 28SOURCE-BACKED TASK
Evaluate or recommend software for testing or bug tracking.
AI DOES
Compares features and generates recommendation reports
YOU DO
Judge what fits your team's workflow
About this analysis
29% · Methodology: exposure-v1 · Analysis date: unavailable · Confidence: medium
TASK 29SOURCE-BACKED TASK
Provide feedback and recommendations to developers on software usability and functionality.
AI DOES
Scans code and suggests common usability improvements
YOU DO
Judge user needs and priority fixes
About this analysis
20% · Methodology: exposure-v1 · Analysis date: unavailable · Confidence: medium

START LEARNING AI

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There are 29 short lessons for this job, about 15 minutes each. Each one starts from a task above and teaches the part that stays with you.

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AT A GLANCE

Occupation: Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers
SOC code: 15-1253
Tasks reviewed: 29 of 30

How we assess

PAY & OUTLOOK

Compare pay by state

Median pay (national): $104,300 · BLS OEWS 2025
Median pay (Colorado): $123,690 · BLS OEWS 2025
Employed (national): 186,740
Employed in Colorado: 5,110
Job outlook: +10% by 2034 · ~14,000 openings/yr

Wages from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. National figures cover the United States. Job outlook is national.

How does this fit your work?

Earn a certificate in your job

Your job, task by task.

Develop testing programs that address areas such as database impacts, software scenarios, regression testing, negative testing, error or bug retests, or usability.

Document test procedures to ensure replicability and compliance with standards.

Design test plans, scenarios, scripts, or procedures.

Conduct historical analyses of test results.

Identify, analyze, and document problems with program function, output, online screen, or content.

Install, maintain, or use software testing programs.

Develop or specify standards, methods, or procedures to determine product quality or release readiness.

Conduct software compatibility tests with programs, hardware, operating systems, or network environments.

Identify program deviance from standards, and suggest modifications to ensure compliance.

Install and configure recreations of software production environments to allow testing of software performance.

Plan test schedules or strategies in accordance with project scope or delivery dates.

Monitor program performance to ensure efficient and problem-free operations.

Investigate customer problems referred by technical support.

Participate in product design reviews to provide input on functional requirements, product designs, schedules, or potential problems.

Coordinate user or third-party testing.

Collaborate with field staff or customers to evaluate or diagnose problems and recommend possible solutions.

Recommend purchase of equipment to control dust, temperature, or humidity in area of system installation.

Modify existing software to correct errors, allow it to adapt to new hardware, or to improve its performance.

Test system modifications to prepare for implementation.

Perform initial debugging procedures by reviewing configuration files, logs, or code pieces to determine breakdown source.

Design or develop automated testing tools.

Document software defects, using a bug tracking system, and report defects to software developers.

Monitor bug resolution efforts and track successes.

Store, retrieve, and manipulate data for analysis of system capabilities and requirements.

Review software documentation to ensure technical accuracy, compliance, or completeness, or to mitigate risks.

Create or maintain databases of known test defects.

Update automated test scripts to ensure currency.

Evaluate or recommend software for testing or bug tracking.

Provide feedback and recommendations to developers on software usability and functionality.

Practice AI.Use your judgment.

Practice AI.
Use your judgment.